Lies
by squeakyfingers
Summary: #2 in the Unclean series. It's sort of a quasi-sequel, it follows the same timeline anyway. Catherine has a secret.


**Disclaimer: **Nope. Don't own them. They are owned by Anthony Zuiker and Alliance- Atlantis.  I make no money off of them. Yea hear that CBS. I am a damn broke senior with nothing to do but write and procrastinate on starting my college applications, so no suing me…. The song "Not Enough"  is owned by Raine Maida and Our Lady Peace. I almost didn't put in here but it is so gut wrenching that I had to add it.

**Authors Note*** I apologize to Catherine in advance for this fiction. I really do love your character!!! The queen of the songfics is back and ready for action!! No one seems to complain about them though, so until they do I will keep on writing them! Thanks to Marita insisting that I write a sequel to "Unclean" and for just being cool (even if she is a s/g shipper). Thanks to Gwen for our mutual love of Catherine and hatred of Eddie (that bastard). Enjoy the fic!

**Note:** This occurs after Catherine has been recruited to work at CSI.

Lies 

**__**

There's nothing you can say 

_Nothing you can do_

_Nothing in between_

_You know the truth_

_Nothing left to face_

_Nothing left to lose_

_Nothing takes your place_

            I knew Eddie was angry when I came home late. I could smell the scent of whiskey in the air the moment I walked in the door. He had drunk himself into a stupor; staring at the T.V. which had not been turned on. Slowly I crossed the hallway to the stairs as silently as possible. Eddie was not a pleasant drunk. His normal routine was to get as wasted as possible and then beat on his wife, which just happened to be me.

            It never used to be like this. I remember the time before we were married. It was like a fairy-tale; we were blissfully happy. Well as happy as you could get when you're frying brain cells by using cocaine. But it was not long before I found out just how much Eddie loved his booze. Soon he was out drinking every night, wasting what little money we had while I struggled to keep us alive.

            It was little things that would set him off. Maybe the dishwasher hadn't been run, or maybe his suit never made it to the dry cleaners. He would come home after a night out with the guys, take one look around and just start yelling. That's what it started with, the endless arguing. Loud roaring profanities that echoed throughout the walls of the house.

When they say you're not that strong 

_You're not that weak_

_It's not your fault_

_When you climb up to that hill_

_Up to your place_

_I hope you're well_

            It didn't take long for things to escalate after that. A shove here maybe a slap there. It didn't worry me at first. But eventually there were bruises, concussions, and broken bones. It was easy to make up excuses for concerned family and friends. Sometimes it was "oh I tripped over a coffee table".  Other times I would just blow it off like "You know how klutzy I am, I just fell down the steps". A little dab of concealer in a few choice spots and the bruises were hardly noticeable. As the years went on the abuse became more violent and the lies became easier to spin. So as I entered the house on this particular evening, I knew what to expect. I knew to stay out of his way.

There's nothing left to prove 

_Nothing I won't do_

_Nothing like the pain_

_I feel for you_

_Nothing left to hide_

_Nothing left to fear_

_I am always here_

            Sighing as I made it to the staircase without interference, I felt my body relax. Suddenly, as I put my weight on the first step, it let out a loud creak. I saw his head swivel around to face me, and my body froze. He had that look in his eye. I could predict the oncoming argument. There was nothing I could do to stop it. I only hoped that Lindsey didn't wake up in the middle of it.

            "You're home late Caatthherinee" he said, swaying slightly as he moved toward me.

            " I had some business to finish up at work. You know that place I go everyday and work my ass off running prints and soil samples while you're here sitting in your lazy boy getting wasted?" I replied defiantly.

            " Bitch!! Don't raise youur fucckin voice at me!" I felt my cheek begin to sting as Eddie slapped me across the face.

            "Eddie! Quiet down! You'll wake Linds up!" I hissed back at him.

            "I'll do whatever the hell I wannnt damnit! Who the hell are you to tell me what to do? It's my mottther fuckin house!" he yelled so loud I was sure the neighbors could hear it.

            At that moment I dashed around him and sprinted for the door, but Eddie grabbed my arm and hurled me into a nearby bookcase. I could hear the bones crunching as I hit it. After the shelf toppled, narrowly missing me, I laid there stunned for a moment; to shocked to move. Searing, agonizing pain ran up and down the whole left side of my body. I could already feel a dull ache developing in my skull. It was becoming harder and harder for me to stay awake.

What you want 

_What you lost_

_What you had_

_What is gone, is over_

_What you've got_

_What you love_

_What you need_

_What you have, is real_

_It's not enough, it's not enough, it's not enough I'm sorry_

_It's not enough, it's not enough_

            I don't remember how long Eddies' rage continued for. I was in too much pain to remember it now. When it was over, the house was a mess and Eddie just went up to bed; leaving me writhing on the floor in agony. I struggled endlessly to sit up; propping myself up with my good arm for balance. I knew I needed medical attention but I wasn't even sure if I could make it out to the car, let alone drive it.

            ***Grissom*** I thought to myself suddenly. But the idea left as quickly as it came. There was no way I was going to get him involved in this. He was a colleague. Not to say that we weren't friends, but I just could not let him see me like this. I didn't want him to know, he protects me enough as it is. I did not need him acting like a bodyguard.             

*I am tough. I am strong. I don't want to be vulnerable around him. I might do something stupid.*  I would just have to grin and bear it. 

After what felt like an hour I finally got into the car, put it into drive, and backed out the driveway. It was a short drive from the house to the hospital. I knew this from past experience. Not bothering to find a real parking spot, I pulled up to the emergency doors and parked the car. People bustling in and out of the doors stopped and stared at me. Wobbly, I got out of the car, instantly falling to my knees.

"Ma'am?? Are you alright?" I heard a passer-by ask me. All I could feel was the world spinning around me as a wave of dizziness hit. Suddenly I was being helped up to my feet. Glancing up I saw a young woman's face smiling back at me.

"It looks like you could use some help. Please tell me you're name."

"Um….Catherine" I mumbled through swollen lips

"Well Catherine, I am Meagan. Come on, let's get you inside."

With her help I limped inside to the nurses station. The nurse working the desk handed Meagan the forms that needed to be filled out and told us to go wait in chairs. Once we were seated I proceeded to tell her all the information that the forms asked for, which she wrote down since I wasn't able too.

"Birth Parents?" she asked.

" Jack and Mary" I replied numbly

"Cause of injury" she read off another question. My ears perked up when I heard her say it. Should I tell the truth?? No I couldn't do that, never.

"I tripped and tumbled down the stairs. It was an accident." I watched as she wrote it down on the form. In my mind I made a note to call work and tell them I was sick and needed a few days off. No one would ask any questions.

*Another day, another lie.* I thought to myself. When will it ever stop?

When they say that you're not strong 

_You're not that weak_

_It's not your fault_

_When you climb up that hill_

_Up to your place_

_I hope you're well_

The End


End file.
